While medical miracles can be performed in a matter of hours, the rehabilitation process can take weeks or even months. For people with severe or permanent disabilities, an inpatient admission for intensive rehabilitation therapy becomes an important factor in their recovery process and in their ability to return home and function at the highest possible level. The new $13 million Lancaster Rehabilitation Hospital* in south central PA accommodates patients with comprehensive care in a healing environment. The interior design challenge for this 52,800 square foot facility included using commercial finishes that didn’t look institutional, yet still provided demanding healthcare performance and were within the hospital’s budget. Designers found solutions in a range of different products from many manufacturers. But, they only needed one source for all the resilient flooring. Armstrong’s portfolio of homogeneous and heterogeneous sheet, luxury vinyl tile and commercial tile used in artful combinations, met the aesthetic, functional and cost requirements for specific spaces throughout the facility.

Lancaster Rehabilitation Hospital specializes in treating adults and older children following an acute illness or injury, such as stroke, brain or spinal cord injuries, multiple trauma, orthopedic fractures and amputations. These patients generally rely on some type of assistive device for mobility. Canes, crutches, standard and wheeled walkers and wheelchairs enable them to get from one location in the single story building to another. While the need for safe, slipresistant flooring underfoot is obvious, designers at RPA Design, Charlotte, NC, looked beyond function in their materials selection. Lucinda Sexton, senior interior designer, explains, “Natural looking materials, such as resilient sheet and tile with wood and stone visuals, lend a warm feeling to a space. Also, tried and true health care colors like greens, blues, terracotta and purple colorways are helpful for creating wayfinding and differentiating patient and staff zones.” Armstrong’s selection of resilient flooring featuring natural visuals and health care colors offers designers hundreds of options to choose from.

Sexton explains the design scheme for the flooring used in this project in more detail. “DecorArt Rejuvenations TIMBERLINE Sheet in medium maple with ColorArt MEDINTECH Sheet in blue skies, fired clay, tea garden green or smoketree brown are in the patient room floors. The resilient construction is durable and easy to clean and the heat-welded seams ward off infection control concerns.” In the adjoining hallways, resilient tile creates a durable and safe surface for people in wheelchairs and using wheeled walkers, and for rolling loads including hospital beds and medical equipment. The geometric design is created with Standard EXCELON MultiColor VCT in faire white with Standard Excelon Imperial Texture VCT tile in combinations of serene blue, curried caramel, tea garden green, rose hip, charcoal or camel beige. “Color and patterns visually ties related spaces together while differentiating one wing from another, and patient spaces from staff areas,” says Sexton. The color themes and patterns are also reflected through the architectural elements on the walls and ceilings.

To convey a more elegant look in the main lobby and connecting corridors, the design team chose NATURAL CREATIONS Luxury Flooring stone visual EarthCuts in durango gold, color wash brown, haven stone rust brown and color wash gold. The different colors are inset in classic geometric shapes and curves to add interest to the large, wide spaces and to create a more upscale design effect. The inset theme is also carried out in the dining room, in combinations of color wash sage, color wash rust, and haven stone gray pearl. Sexton says, “The LVT looks like stone without the cost, maintenance concerns or the hardness of natural stone,” says Sexton.

Another cost-effective, stone-inspired visual, Premium Excelon Stonetex VCT tile, is used on the floor of the hospital’s therapy gym. The mix of colors includes sandstone tan, mineral dust, slate green and natural peach. A series of bold stripes and squares helps break up the expansive space and adds visual energy while allowing built-in visual cues for the therapists to measure a patient’s progress.

Flooring-related suppliers and services on this project, including Armstrong World Industries, Benchmark Construction Company (general construction) and CB Flooring (flooring subcontractor), are also located in south central PA. Although using regional materials and services is a sustainable building practice, Sexton says there are other reasons why her team specified Armstrong™ products. “We found everything we wanted from one source. The flooring is designed to work together. All products are in one catalog. Having one rep to contact in case of any problems makes our job easier. If they’re not immediately available, we often call TechLine or use Armstrong’s Web site for samples and technical information.” Sexton concludes, “Armstrong has a strong commitment to the community, and many of the patients and staff may have a connection to the company, so why not use their products on this project.”

* Lancaster Rehabilitation Hospital is a limited liability partnership between Lancaster General Hospital and Centerre Healthcare. The building owner is Cogdell Spencer Advisors.

* FloorScore™ is a trademark of the Resilient Floor Covering Institute. LEED® is a registered trademark of the United States Green Building Council.